HomeGauge News Alert April 2016

HomeGauge is taking over the world! Since our official release of the Secret Weapon we have had nothing but praise from agents! In the first few weeks, more than 8,000 agents and buyers used this powerful tool to create their own Repair/Request Lists straight from the home inspector's report! We've heard many positive comments from agents everywhere, such as "This is easy," and "This saves me a lot of time," and on and on. Our competitors that use boring PDF's have no answer to this Marketing Machine. So, if you are using HomeGauge, go here to learn more. That page has a video you can send to your agents and some marketing ideas as well. Now all HomeGauge users have a great reason to go to their real estate offices and present this awesome feature. You can create a REP account for yourself to show them how the Create Request List™ feature can make their lives easier, reduce their liability and provide a Standardization to complete their transactions. If they think you are great now, wait until they see your Secret Weapon!

FAQ: Why not have the buyer and seller sign the list? Answer: It's because this list is not the state's official Repair Request Addendum. Each state uses its own form and the forms usually do not have adequate space for the list. Most agents type in See Attached List and attach a separate document. Our feature creates the list that they attach. They can continue to use DocuSign (or whatever they currently use) for digital signatures on their official form.

FAQ: Why can't the inspector see the list the customer and REP create? Answer: This list is for the post inspection process and the inspector and his or her opinion play no role in this process — inspectors have never had a role in this and should not now. You are just giving them the cutting edge technology to take your report, and, under the privacy of a username and password, they can continue the process in a standardized way. That is why all your competitors (and mine) are scrambling to deal with it. They make boring PDFs and they send them off. HomeGauge provides a private and secure area for the agent and customer to help with the post inspection process.

FAQ: What does all this mean for me, an HG user? Answer: It means you got the tiger by the tail and you can yell from the highest mountain! What are you waiting for? Go here to learn more. You will want to make sure your report works well with this new feature (contact us for help if needed).

If you are not using HomeGauge Services....why not? It pays for itself with value added services for your customer and agent!

Our HomeGauge 5.2 update is getting its final makeup and will be out next month!
This update will include full support for High Definition/Ultra HD/4k monitors, form tabs updates, a section container editor/organizer, a new condensed print format, video previews, bug fixes, and a revamped video converter (better support for far more video formats). And while we're talking about video, it's important to mention that Apple has just announced that it is stopping development of QuickTime for Windows. QuickTime has been needed up to this point for using video in HomeGauge, but HomeGauge 5.2 will no longer require it.

HomeGauge is moving toward the future

Important: HomeGauge 5.2, in order to fully adapt to modern technology, will be dropping support for Windows XP and Windows Vista. You will need Windows 7, 8, or 10 to run HomeGauge 5.2 or later. Windows XP is an outdated OS that has not been supported or updated by Microsoft for years now, and Vista is close behind. These outdated OS's, especially Windows XP, can leave your computer exposed and should no longer be used in a business environment. We will still have HomeGauge 5.1 available for download for those who do not want our advice.

We have a lot more surprises coming in this release, including a surprise integration with an international company that makes your report more attractive with cool unique features!

HG Companion Update

A 5.2 update for the HG Companion will be released after the desktop version. We do not have a timeline yet for the HG Companion update, but will keep everyone updated in our news alerts.

What else?

Our new Appointment Manager moves one step closer to domination. An improved Payments System is coming soon and next on our list of features is the ability for the customer and agent to schedule online.
We just can't stop!

June training dates have been announced!

If you've been wanting to cut down on your report writing time, or just want to explore all the features of HomeGauge, we encourage you to attend this great 3-day HomeGauge training class!

Call and reserve your seat today. The class is being held June 8-10, 2016. Cost for the class is $300 for the first attendee, $200 for each additional (multi-inspector firms only) and lunch is included. Space is limited and these classes usually sell out, so call to reserve your spot today before it is too late — (828) 254-2030.

Facebook: Frank Rotte and Scot Baker, both HG users, have created a friendly HG user group on Facebook. It is managed by Frank and Scot and is a great resource to get help from other users! Visit the HomeGauge Users Group. Frank is also the winner of the InterNACHI HomeGauge Report Contest.